Why is it good to replace refined sugar?
Without criticizing refined sugar, the trend towards raw products has exposed the nutritional poverty of white sugar. In fact, white sugar, which has no flavor other than that of sugar, does not bring – apart from calories – any added value to a dessert or cake. While other natural, unrefined sugars such as muscovado, rapadura or whole cane sugar, bring more flavor to a preparation, while having a higher sweetening power than white sugar.
The many alternatives to replace refined sugar
Agave syrup
The advantage of agave syrup, extracted from blue agave, is that it is sweet and works wonderfully in desserts and pastries. Thanks to its low glycemic index, it is ideal for people with diabetes, unlike white sugar which has a high glycemic index (therefore will cause a spike in blood sugar levels). In addition, its other advantage in cooking is that it dissolves easily when cold, and does not need to be heated to work.
Honey
More aromatic than refined white sugar, why not use honey in our recipes? Moreover, as there is not a single sugar, there is not one honey but honeys! Acacia, chestnut, rosemary, fir, lavender, orange, thyme, honeys are numerous and all different. But be careful, when you replace refined sugar with honey in a recipe, you don’t use the same weight. In fact, honey has a strong sweetening power which makes it possible to reduce its quantity. Also, honey is a “liquid” product whereas sugar is a so-called “dry” food. In baking, this can also have an impact on the consistency of a cake. Finally, to avoid “fake honey”, we tend to opt for French products, or whose origin is clearly indicated, to avoid “mixtures” based on industrial sugars from corn, wheat, rice, supplemented with colorings, of aromas… Honey must contain honey. Point.
Maple syrup
With its many minerals and its typical flavor, maple syrup is a substitute of choice in cooking. Perfect on pancakes, it is also ideal for coating meat, a cake, flavoring Greek yogurt, or sweetening a hot drink.
Kitul sap
Too little known, kitul sap is nevertheless a perfect alternative to replace refined sugar. Vitamins, minerals, perfect combination of three sugars (fructose, glucose and sucrose) preventing the storage of these carbohydrates, low glycemic index, usable both cold and hot… But what are we waiting for to use it?
Coconut sugar
In terms of calories, coconut sugar (386 kcal/100g) and white sugar (399 kcal/100g) are equal, so it is not at this level that the first stands out. In fact, this caramelized sugar contains vitamins and minerals that refined sugar does not have. Also in use, it has a higher sweetening power, and can therefore be consumed in smaller quantities.
Fruit compote
To replace refined sugar in a recipe, you can also use fruit compote, homemade if possible. Thanks to the natural sugar contained in fruits – fructose – you can prepare a 100% fruit compote which will give flavor and deliciousness to any cake batter.
Visible sugar / hidden sugar
Obviously, all these alternatives are perfect if we get into the kitchen and prepare our recipes from A to Z. Unfortunately, sugar is very often added in industrial products, and in this case is called “hidden sugar”. If industrial biscuits, for example, do not hide their excess sugar, other products are largely equipped with it – sandwich bread, prepared meals, pizza – and hide their game decidedly well. It is therefore at the moment of purchase that you must take the time to decipher the labels to avoid unpleasant surprises.
